The phone hacking scandal has engulfed not just the media, but the police and the world of politics as well Photograph: Graeme Robertson for the Guardian

What a week to be a political nerd! Day after day has produced unexpected developments in the phone hacking scandal that has engulfed not just the media, but the police and the world of politics as well.

On Sunday, it was the turn of the Lancashire born and bred head of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Paul Stephenson, to announce his resignation, just days before his appearance in front of the influential Home Affairs Select Committee to answer questions over his links with the former News of the World deputy editor, Neil Wallis. He dubbed the situation, in something of an understatement, as "damnably unlucky".

Then came the news on Sunday that just days after she took the decision to resign, the Warrington-born Rebekah Brooks, now the former chief executive of News Internationall, had been arrested by appointment with the police.

Monday also saw the Home Secretary announce that Bernard Hogan-Howe, the now former Chief Constable of Merseyside Constabulary, had been installed as acting Deputy Commissioner at Scotland Yard following Paul Stephenson's resignation.

And then came Tuesday, with the appearance of both Rupert and James Murdoch in front of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, with the combination of Rupert's declaration that he felt humbled and him being attacked by a man wielding a plate of shaving foam giving the press a field day with headlines speaking of Murdoch eating "Humble Pie".

But despite the drama and anticipation, the Murdoch's performance was less than convincing. Writing on his blog, Peter Barron, Editor of the Northern Echo, argued:

"He was a figure so powerful that prime ministers shamelessly wooed him. But yesterday, he was reduced to a tired, sad old man as he sat before a committee of interrogators.The aura had gone. He was a hesitant, apologetic, and humbled shadow of his former self.

"Rupert Murdoch does not deserve any sympathy for the position in which he finds himself. His fortune has been built on a hard-nosed approach to news and exposing wrong-doing. Had it been a politician or a celebrity at the centre of such a controversy, he would not have blinked as his news hounds went for the jugular.

"A foam pie attack by an anarchist provided a dramatic distraction from the grilling, leaving enormous question marks over security. But froth apart, the general theme of the Murdoch's defence was that they couldn't be expected to micro-manage a global business to the extent that they could possibly have known phone-hacking had become part of the culture.

"'I have no knowledge of that,' was a line frequently repeated. Whatever conclusions are produced by the phone-hacking inquiries, the media empire created by Rupert Murdoch will be forever damaged not just by the phone-hackers but by an appalling and shocking lack of management by senior executives. "

Parallels between hacking and expenses

But throughout the week, it was striking to see the parallels between both the phone hacking scandal and the events surrounding MPs expenses-gate.

Then, as with phone hacking now, the core issue of the abuse of the expenses system was quickly over taken by a much broader debate over and calls for reform of the way the political system works. In much the same way, the issue at stake now is no longer just phone hacking, but a much larger issue concerning the media's relations with the police, the politicians and ultimately the public.

If this week was the week that Parliament finally reasserted itself, it will be seen as a vindication and sign of success of the reforms introduced in the wake of the expenses scandal. The question now is what changes are needed for the same to happen to the media? And when the dust settles, how significant was this week?

The Northerner went in search of views from those in the know.

Stephen Coleman, Professor of Political Communication at Leeds University, said:

"Once the high drama of the select committee hearings is over, the key question for the British media will be to establish a system of press regulation that leaves media consumers who are beyond the Westminster-Wapping bubble believing that news is no longer the province of bullies, crooks and chancers.

"The debate about the successor to the Press Complaints Commission has been dominated by two fears: over-regulation, whereby a new regulator can tell editors what they may or may not publish, and feeble 'self-regulation', which is a euphemism for institutional inertia.

"There is a middle way. A new press regulator should i) be led by independent media observers who, as well as responding to complaints and wrongdoing, should produce and publish regular guidelines re journalistic norms and standards consistent with democracy; ii) have the statutory power to call witnesses (which is quite different from a statutory power to determine press content); and iii) have a budget that would allow it to publicise press failings so that readers of all newspapers are aware of principles that have been violated.

"I do not believe that such a regulatory body would be unacceptable to a democratic society. It could neither be accused of censorship nor irrelevance. Without it, trust in the press - and not just News International's shamed titles will continue to plummet."

Dr Matt Beech, Director of the Centre for British Politics at the University of Hull, said:

"The NotW story is the main discussion point in British politics today because at its core it is changing our understanding of the proper role of a free press in an free society. What the nation and its leaders will need to decide is to what extent they want more prescriptive rules about press conduct and greater oversight of journalism and, of course, the tricky issue of who is best to hold the press to account?"

Karl Turner, Labour MP for Hull East and a member of the House of Commons Justice Select Committee has been 'shocked and appalled' by the revelations of the last few weeks. He added:

"This is yet another example of members of the establishment failing to act responsibly. The public have been let down by those in authority once again. I think that the Prime Minister has made a serious error of judgement in hiring Andy Coulson and he needs to hold his hands up and apologise for this.

"We now need a full public inquiry to find out who knew what and when. Those who were complicit in illegal activities must be held to account. No police officer, politician or journalist should be exempt from this.

"I believe that a free press plays a key role in our democracy. However self regulation in this instance has failed we now need a full and considered review. This is not the time for knee-jerk reactions we have one opportunity to change the way the press works in this country. We cannot get it wrong."

Jason McCartney, Conservative MP for Colne Valley and a former journalist, said:

"As a former BBC and ITV broadcast journalist (I was Father of the NUJ Chapel at ITV Yorkshire) I take no pleasure in seeing my former profession being dragged into the gutter.

"We have all been disgusted by the reports of Milly Dowler's phone being hacked but we must resist the temptation for kneejerk reactions. We must allow the police to weed out the criminals, and for the courts to punish them, so that the vast majority of hardworking and skilled journalists can continue to hold those in power to account via the best traditions of investigative journalism.

"We must maintain Britain's free press and free speech."

Commenting on the serious concerns surrounding the police, the Houghton and Sunderland South MP, Bridget Phillipson, a member of the Home Affairs Select Committee which this week grilled senior officers and staff from Scotland Yard, told the Northerner:

"Public confidence in the police has been shaken by the repeated failure of the Metropolitan Police to act on evidence of phone hacking at News International. The police chose to blame News International for not fully co-operating, but it seems obvious that those who have been involved in criminal activity would be reluctant to help the police.

"The police need a strong working relationship with the media. However, the level of social interaction between senior officers at the Met and executives at News International was both unnecessary and concerning - at a time when phone hacking allegations were being investigations or should have been pursued.

"Senior officers should have been more aware of how this behaviour would be viewed by the public. The fact that the officer who oversaw the original investigation, Andy Hayman, took a job with News International only a matter of months after leaving the Met again gives the impression of an all too cosy relationship. The public inquiry needs to look closely at any potential conflicts of interest and the relationship between the police and the media more broadly.

"Accusations of police bribery or corruption are another matter - any officers involved in this should expect to face the full force of the law."